Review: Macaroni Kid (Folsom - El Dorado Hills)

THE best site EVER found me, Folsom-El Dorado Hills: Macaroni Kid!

How many times have you missed an awesome community event because you had no freaking clue it even existed? Instead you and your kids were locked in the house with a bucket of ice cream and finger paint...lots of flipping messy finger paint.

Now you can save the calories and the mess!!! Macorni Kid is an free, weekly email newsletter and website with all the local happenings for kids including an easy guide to free library story times, when and where kids eat free, open play and various special events your local community is having any given week.

I feaking LOVE it! Just found out my local shopping area has "Town Center Tuesdays" where the theater only charges $5 to get in and $2 for popcorn. Several other little stores and resturants have special deal on these "Town Center Tuesdays" as well. WTF? Why didn't I know this?

I also found out a local sports club (fancy name for gym) is having a "Splash Into Summer" event open to the public with swimming, inflatables, games and food. AND...admission is free!! Just pay for games and food etc. Hello! I have nothing better to do on a Friday with my kids (go back to eating a bucket of ice cream and finger paint), do you?

So be sure and find your local Macaroni Kid at http://national.macaronikid.com/ and sign up (to keep your ass from getting fat and your house from getting trashed)!

Review: The ONLY double stroller...

Don't laugh, but I went through FOUR double strollers before I finally found my match! I know...FOUR!

First was the Baby Trend Double Sit N Stand Stroller, Skylar my friend gave me. Keep in mind Boo was only 12 months old when Bubbi was born. The car seat infant option really only worked well in the back. When in use (so basically all the time in the beginning) it forced Boo to sit so upright that he was almost leaning forward and he hated it. Plus the thing was so freaking heavy...about forty pounds! Throw in two babies, a car seat and a diaper bag packed for three then try walking up the hill on my street...buns of steel yes, but I preferred not to get a hardcore sweat on every time we walked anywhere or I needed to lift it in and out of the trunk.

So what did I do? I bought an even heavier stroller!! Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Stroller, Ruby was my next attempt. That mother of a stroller had some great options and versatility, but you have to unassemble the 50 pound beast to fold it up! Ok, so now the stroller was even heavier AND it took an extra 10 minutes to get in and out of the car every time we went anywhere. The sunshades were a joke, way too small and not adjustable. Plus this P.O.S. was really flimsy and not well made....HELL NO!

Third try...Combi Twin Sport 2010 Side by Side Double Stroller, Sand. This awesome stroller was light/under 30 pounds, folds up really small and opens and closes very easily. Winner? NO! Side by side sucked because the kids could hit, pull and steel from each other effortlessly.

Ok...now I know I need something that's light, opens and closes easily, has great sunshades and does not allow the kids to mess with each other too readily. At this point I told my husband I was not giving myself a budget - getting the best of the best no matter the cost!


BOB Revolution SE Duallie Stroller, Orange was my first thought. Then I saw a lady have to break hers down to fit through a doorway! OMG WTF? No way. *Note: I believe they have since come out with one that fits through the average doorway. Either way, my friend had terrible issues with one of her tires always going flat.

Next I considered the Bumbleride Indie Twin 4 Wheel All Terrain Stroller with 12" Wheels, Ruby. I really liked the features and the look, but finally decided I wasn't a runner and didn't want to deal with air filled tire maintenance since I didn't need them.

Then I fell in love...Baby Jogger 2010 City Mini Double Stroller, Black/Black. The dimensions are perfect: 38.5 x 29.75 x 41.5. This baby easily fit through the door into my master bedroom. It weighs in beautifully at 26.6 pounds and holds 100 pounds worth of kids (most doubles max out near 90 pounds). The sunshades are fabulous and large (adjustable to three options with two windows each) for my fair skinned babies. And the best part is the amazingly quick and easy way it folds (go to  http://www.babyjogger.com/city_mini_dbl_dtl.aspx to watch the video)! Plus, the kids cannot really access each other unless they are both leaning forward. It was more affordable than the other options I had been exploring and it was truly exactly what I needed! It does come quite bare so you may need to buy things you tend to expect most strollers to have standard like a belly bar, car seat adapter, child tray etc.

Since my purchase I have sold FOUR other mommies on this baby! Every single one of them is totally in love. The only complaint has been the basket size, but they wouldn't trade it for anything. Actually, one of the mommies I suggested I write this post.

So there it is...the best double stroller on the market is the Baby Jogger 2010 City Mini Double Stroller, Black/Black!!!

Review: Skyzone Indoor Trampoline Park

The kids and I were recently asked to review Skyzone Indoor Trampoline Park. Honestly, I have wanted to go to one of these for a while, but thought my kids much too young.

Wrong! We went to the Rocklin Skyzone from 1 to 2 pm during their toddler jump (for kids 6 and under) and the kids had a BLAST!!! Boo was bouncing all over the place while Bubbi did her best to keep up, taking lots of breaks to play with the balls, tunnels and other younger kid toys they had out.

The other kids there ranged from infant, two toddlers and three preschoolers. It was a perfect crowd for my little ones. They have an employee on the court at all times to make sure everyone is following the rules (something most indoor bounce house places around here don't which irks me because the big kids are always a second away from hurting one of my little ones). And, the place was SUPER clean from top to bottom.

Besides the drive (we live about 40 minutes away, but great to add to a Galleria shopping day trip), the kids had a blast, got a lot of energy out and I actually had a really good time bouncing too. We are definitely going back when its too hot or too cold to be outside!

Coupon Code & Review: Tiny Toppings!

Check out this ADORABLE hat from Tiny Toppings Bubbi's modeling! Tiny Toppings is offering my readers

twenty percent off!!! Just use the coupon code BUBBIANDBOO20 when checking out of her etsy site. Hurry as it is only good for the month of April.

These are super cute for spring and cooler summer nights by the beach or bay (I don't live by one, but I hope we are going to Monterrey in August and spending a weekend in San Francisco in July - both get cold at night year round). Plus they make great newborn gifts as those little munchkins need a hat the first few weeks no matter how warm...and they make for cute pics! Also keep your eye out for girls clippies soon.

 She can custom make the size for any you see as well, so keep that in mind when your browsing her adorable goods. Be sure to like Tiny Toppings facebook page and tell her Bubbi and Boo sent you!

I hope to post some pictures of your little ones wearing her hats for Wordless Wednesday next month so be sure and submit them to me at ramonaselman@yahoo.com and put "tiny toppings" in the subject.

These are just a few pictures taken at home, but she'll be doing a professional shoot in the next few weeks.

And in case my links don't work (because I'm a stay at home mom, not a computer geek), here are the links to Tiny Topping on Facebook and Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TinyToppings

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Tiny-Toppings/101130963305669

Mickey and Minne Party: The Outfits!

So I was getting ready to work on my next preschool post (how to choose one) when I remembered to check the mail. AND GUESS WHAT CAME!?!?

The kid's Mickey and Minnie shirts from Ollie B Boutique!! THEY ARE SO F-ING CUTE!!! And I am really impressed with the quality too!

Here are the pics from her site, http://olliebboutique.blogspot.com/.

And here are so not so fab ones I took with my camera phone, but you get the idea...

And here is Bubbi's shirt with the pettiskirt I got from Dollar Daisies. The skirt is cute and I got it for the amazing price of $15.99. The hems are machine sewn so I'm thinking they'll hold well. However, there are tons of stray stings I need to snip off. So I would recommend for the price, but remember you get what you pay for (most pettiskirts start at $30 and go well over $100).

And yes, I will get great pics of the kids in their freaking adorable outfits, but not right now. They're napping and overall sticky and dirty today (I gave them a popsicle before lunch). Plus smart one here can't find the cord for her camera.